Envelop-opening device.



R. R NOHDSTROM.

ENVELOP OPENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULYI9. 191s.

' 1,299,991. Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

ATTORNEY m: NORRIS narzks cu PNOYOLIIHU wAsnlwcmu u c R. R. NORDSTROM.

ENVELOP OPENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION man IULY19, l9l6.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

I I N V ENTOR fiaymorzdfiJwn/"Zsiram WITNESSES ATTORNEY YNL NONE) r Euws co PHDIIJ umu. wAsmmsmm n. c.

RAYMOND It. NORDSTROM, OF LITCHFIELD, MINNESOTA.

ENVELOP-OPENING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

Application filed July 19, 1916. Serial No. 110,213.

Toall whom it may concern Be it known that I, RAYMOND R. NORD- STRQM, citizen of the United States, residing at Litchfield, in the county of Meeker and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop- Opening Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to envelop opening devices and particularly to a device of this character for cutting the end of the envelop by a single stroke of a knife, and has for its object to provide a simple, convenient and efficient device for the purpose and by means of which envelops will be opened with great rapidity.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for the purpose having a flat base with a movable blade at one end supported in guides and normally held above the base by resilient means, and which when an envelop is placed thereunder and the knife quickly forced downward, the end of the envelop is cut off and upon withdrawal of the opened envelop, a blast of air is directed below the knife to drive off the portion cut from the envelop.

With these as the principal objects in view, the invention consists of a novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the envelop opening device complete. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. i is a cross sectional view on the line 4l-4: of Fig. 3, and Fig 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, 10 indicates a rectangular base plate of such length and width as will give full support to the envelops that are to be operated upon. This base is perfectly flat and has at one end a box-like structure 11 the four sides 12 of which are preferably made of metal andcast integrally, interior lugs 12 being cast therewith both at the top and bottom to reoeivethe threaded ends of screws 13 and 14 which secure the top 15 to the box 11 and the latter to the base 10. The box or casing 11 extends entirely across the base 10 and the front 16 thereof is provided at the bottom with a narrow slot 17 that extends from' side to side of the receptacle and is sufficisntly high to permit the easy insertion of an envelop therethrough into the receptacle The sides 18 of the receptacle have each a central vertical slot 19 formed therein to serve as a guide for the knife 20 a said slots extending from the top of the box downwardly to or nearly to the base 10. Through one of the sides 18 and'at the bottom thereof is a horizontal slot 21 that extends between the two lugs 12 on the same side and has a vertical width or height substantially the same as the slot 17 in the front 16. j

Within the receptacle or box 11 and secured to the base 10 a short distance in rear of the plane of the vertical slot 19 is a stop block 22 against which the end of the envelop to be severed abuts when inserted through the notch 17.

The knife 20 is a thin steel blade having a sharpened cutting edge 23 at its lower edge and a rib 24: on each side near its upper edge which ribs project laterally from opposite sides of the blade and extend from end to end thereof. The upper part of the knife blade 20 and the ribs 24 fit snugly within a cruciform slot in the under side of the knife carrier 25. The knife 20 and its carrier 25 are of equal length and are disposed horizontally within the casing 11 extending entirely across the base 10 from side toside of the casing. From each end of'the knife 20 there projects a finger 26, said fingers extending through the slots 19 in the sides 18 of the casing and serve as guides to direct the vertical movement of the knife and prevent any rotation of the same within the easing. Preferably pins 27 .extend transversely through fingers 26 on the exterior-of the casing to prevent longitudinal movement of the knife within its carrier.

Projecting upwardly from the center of the knife carrier 25 is a stem 28 that passes through and is guided by a collar 29 projecting upwardly from the top 15 of the box 11 and at a suitable distance above said top, the stem is provided with av flattened knob 30 having preferably a slightly convex upper surface and a circular form in plan view. This knob is screwed on the stem 28 and below the knob is a sleeve 31 slidably mounted on the stem 28 and terminating at its lower end in an outwardly projecting flange 32 or if desired the flange may beomitted and a washer substituted therefor as inFig 3. The knife 20 is maintained in elevated position with its cutting edge 23 above the top of the slot 17 by a plate spring 33 of a someends of said spring inclining downwardly and outwardly toward the ends of the box top 15 where they pass below yoke shaped guides 35 and are freely slidable therein.

As thus constructed envelops to be opened are placed on the base 10 and pushed through the slot 17 until arrested by the stop block 22 which is so placed as to hold the envelop with its edge a short distance beyond the plane of the knife blade 23. A quick stroke of the hand on the knob 30 depresses the knife 20 and quickly cuts through the end of theenvelop, the severed portion. being retained between the knife blade and the stop block 22. The hand being removed from the knob, the knife is returned to normal positionby the spring 33 which was tensioned by the downward movement of the knob The envelop with its end now opened is withdrawn and another envelop positioned beneath the knife. To protect the edge of'the knife from becoming dull or its edge turned, a strip of some material such'as copper is inserted in a slot in the base 10 as illustrated in the drawing at 36.

To prevent the severed ends of the envelops collecting within the receptacle 11, a pneumatic attachment is provided for blowing the ends outward through the slot 21 in the end 18 of the casing. This pneumatic attachment comprises a hollow rubber ball 37 supported on a bracket or extensionr38 from one side of the base 10 and having a flexible tube 39 extending to the receptacle 7 11 and through an angularly disposed opening inthe adjacent end thereof immediately above the base 10, the tube 39 having a nipple or other metallic terminal to permit. the same being screwed in the opening 40 in the receptacle. The inclination or angular position of the outlet end of the tube 39 relative to the receptacle 11 is such that a blast of air forced through said tube by compress ing the ball 39 will strike against the stop block22 and be then deflected toward the slot 21. If, now, after the end of an envelop has been severed,the knife is permitted to return to its normal position andthe envelop with its open end withdrawn from the casing, the ball be suddenly compressed, a blast of air will be forced from the end of the tube 39 toward the stop block, and, picking up the end of the envelop which lies in contact with the stop block will carry the same out of the casing through the slot 21.

I claim 1. In an envelop opener, the combination with a base, a knife movable in a vertical plane above the base to and from the same,

surface, and means by which a blast of air may be directed in front of said stop and Y longitudinally over the cutting surface to remove the severed end of the envelop.

V 2. In an'envelop opener, the comblnation 'of'a base, a vertically movable knife at one end of said base and adapted to travel to and from the same, means for guiding said knife in its travel, av casing inclosing said knife and having an opening on one side and on one end at the bottom of the casing, a stop block fixed to the base within the casing parallel to and back from the plane of move ment of the knife adapted to arrest an envelop to be opened in its proper position beneath said, knife, and manually operable means for forcing a blast of air at an angle against the side and longitudinally of said block to force the strips cut from the envelop out of the casing through the opening in the end. f j

3. In an envelop opener, the combination of a base, a transverse cutting surface on said base a casing secured tosaid base at one end above the cutting surface having a horizontal slot in one side and one end and a vertical slot in each of its ends, a knifemov able vertically within said casing toward and from the cutting surface and guided by said vertical slot, a stop block in. rear of the cut ting surface for limiting the'position of an envelop inserted through one of said horizontal slots, resilient means for holding said knife above the plane of said slot, and means for directing a blast of air within said cassides, a knife extending longitudinally of the casing and movable vertically therein, said knife having a cutting edge directed downwardly, a laterally extending rib on each face and projecting fingers on its ends extending through and guided by said vertical slots, a knife carrier having a longitudinal slot of proper shape extending from end to end into which said knife and its ribs are seated, a stem projecting upwardly from said carrier and having a knob on its upper end, and resilient means for normally holding said knife blade in elevated position.

5. In an envelop opener, the combination with a base, a casing secured to said base at one end having a horizontal slot in the front thereof, and in the plane of the base, and a similar slot in one side of the casing, vertical slots being formed in the opposite ends, a vertically reciprocating knife extending horizontally from end to end ofthe casing and having fingers riding in said vertical slots to guide the knife in its movement, a knife carrier in which said knife is removably secured, a stem projecting upwardly from said knife carrier through the casing and having means on its upper end for manually depressing the knife, resilient means for normally maintaining the knife in elevated position above the top of the horizontal slot, and a stop block to limit the inward movement of envelops inserted through one of said horizontal slots.

6. In an envelop opener, the combination with a base, a casing extending across said base at one end having a slot in its front side at the bottom thereof and a similar slot in one end, a vertical slot in each end of said casing, avertically reciprocating knife within the casing and guided in its movement by fingers on its ends projecting through said vertical slots, a stop block within the casing adjacent the plane of movement of said knife, means for manu- 20 ally depressing said for elevating the sam knife, resilient means e, and a manually compressible resilient bulb and tube communicating With said casing of air thereinto w 7. In an envelop opener, a base,

for forcing a blast hen subjected to pressure.

a stop block for an envelop, a vertically movable knife for severing the end of said envelop,

and manually operable means for forclng a RAYMOND R. NORDSTROM.

Witnesses E. MATSEN,

. C. MATsEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

